23 Feb 2015

After starting four games in a row, Liverpool attacker Jordon Ibe is winning rave reviews for his performances, with the likes of Thierry Henry and Steven Gerard hailing him as 'amazing' and 'sensational'. Ibe is adapting well to the wing-back position in Brendan Rodgers' preferred 343 formation, but if things had one different in the past, the youngster could be playing for a different club right now.

In an interview over the weekend, Ibe revealed a flirtation with one of Liverpool's biggest Premier League rivals. He told reporters:

"I had a trial at Man City when I was younger but nothing came of it. It was a good choice for me to come to Liverpool and I'm glad I'm here".

Man City? Ibe had a lucky escape there as young players very rarely make it through the youth set-up and into the first team. Over the last five years, City's clear policy is to buy success, and after spending tens of millions on established players, the club has reaped the benefits.

If Ibe had been picked up by City, he'd probably be languishing in the reserves right now with zero chance of ever making it. Indeed, City is a graveyard for young English talent - just ask Jack Rodwell or Scott Sinclair. Granted, Liverpool's record of promoting young attacking players is equally poor, but things are changing under Brendan Rodgers, and - along with Sterling - Ibe's progress is evidence of that.

The young attacker also revealed another disturbing nugget of information:

"My dad is a Liverpool supporter, but when I grew up I started to support Chelsea"

Thankfully, Ibe appears to have seen the error of his ways, and he's now a confirmed Liverpool fan. You never forget your first love, though. Like Sterling, Ibe is a Londoner, and if Chelsea is the first team he ever supported, it's possible that he still has a soft-spot for the club.

Club allegiance rarely makes any difference, though. Countless LFC stars of the past supported clubs other than Liverpool, and some of the Reds' most effective players (including Carra, McManaman, and Owen) supported Everton prior to becoming LFC players.

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26 comments:

It's a shame, it seemed City had one of the best academies in the country for a small period at least before all the money rolled in. Probably still producing decent players, but they've got no chance of getting a game. I understand Chelsea's youth teams are doing very well too, but they've little chance of making that progression.

I suppose that is the one, entirely incidental, upshot to our relative lack of money (only compared with the mega-bucks of Chelsea and City).

Ibe looks like a down-to-earth guy who would prefer a great career in football over money. He has the making to be a world-class player and I believe he will be loyal as well, at least if we reach the levels of the present Chelsea team and guarantee CL football every year.

Good to see the young boys slowly taking the step up. looking to see joao texeria and the like moving up into the senor squad. Chelsea and City is a graveyard for young talent. Go there at your your own peril.

Many people were questioning whether it was right to recall him from his loan spell at Derby, but I firmly believed we made the right decision. He had the belief in his own ability to compete for and gain a first team place.He is showing maturity beyond his years and although its early days he is on the right path to developing into an outstanding player for us.

Yes I agree. If you are good enough and hungry to learn you will be involved in our first team squad. We are starting to see the benefits of our academy set up, although sometimes you do get a purple patch where several come through at once. United benefited from that in the 90's. Let's hope we have a successful era starting.

I went to a Chelsea game with Ibe a few years ago. Ironically, it was against Liverpool. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now it seems more relevant, how much he hated Liverpool. Actally, I've never attended a Chelsea v Liverpool game where a single supporter was so filled with animosity towards the visiting side. I clearly recall him foaming at the mouth with rage when a Liverpool player fouled a Chelsea attacker. Ibe's fury was almost uncontrollable. Even after the game, he told me he'd like to "kick the heads" of some nearby Liverpool supporters. I calmed him down, but he was seething for hours. I asked him if there was anything at all he admired about Liverpool and he said "No, nothing. They turn my stomach".

I had made him my new god and was in the middle of building a golden image of him to pray to every night...until I saw this article. Honestly? Chelsea?! What a waste.Guess I have to find another youngster to deify.

By all accounts his dad is a massive Liverpool fan and soon had his son on the right path. I can understand why Chelsea could seem cool to a kid but then people grow up and see them for what they are - c*nts! The results of those who don't come to this conclusion could be seen on the train in Paris last week. Thankfully Jordan saw the light.

About the Sterling situation, as that thread is closed:I'm pretty sure players like Johnson & Balotelli earn over 100k per week at Liverpool. Putting age aside for a minute, if Sterling considers that he contributes more to the club than those two (which he does), is he not entitled to demand a higher wage than them? This situation can't only be reduced to greed and being a mercenary...

JK seems to bit a little disconcerted by Sterling not caring about LFC. Why should he, he's not a scouser, not a fan, football is a business pure and simple, he is there to earn a living. You may say LFC gave him the chance, coaching etc but LFC didn't do that because they care about Sterling they did it for profit, better team equals more money. The deal they offer him is an equation of outgoing over time vs income in the form of goals and sell on fee. Not only that, it's not personal. RS's agent will balance LFC's perceived value over time against what he feels they should pay for that. It's just business.

Pretty much spot on. I haven't heard any LFC supporter claim that Sterling loves the club so I don't see why that is constantly brought up. That is not the issue, Sterling is paid to deliver on the pitch and he does it well. Lambert loves the club to bits but has that had any impact on the pitch? In my view, Jaimie takes this case personally which is a bit disturbing. Sterling is entitled to demand whatever he wants and he is not insulting the club by doing that. If the club doesn't agree with him on his value then he'll be gone and someone else will take his place and Liverpool Football Club will definitely survive. There's no mountain to be made about all this, really.

He's starting to lose the plot, me thinks. He deleted my comment about his yet another article about player overpraise, for no good reason. He should work for one of those companies that make hose enlargement products. He's good at turning a small thing into a big deal.